Sanding wood floors has traditionally been accomplished with several types of machines. Some machines move an abrasive linearly across a flooring surface, generally parallel with the grain pattern of the wood floors to minimize the abrasive scratch detectable by the human eye. While such linear sanding tools are the most productive and fastest to use, they are not able to produce a flat furniture quality finish that is desired today on a finished wood floor.
Another technique that is often utilized involves the use of a circular or rotary motion, such as that which a traditional polisher would make. A sanding adaptor is used in place of the polishing pad or traditional brush. Unfortunately, this circular motion leaves a distinct scratch pattern on the floor that generally goes across the wood grain. Such scratches are generally longer, therefore visibly traveling across the wood grain. This scratch pattern is more visible to the eye after stain application. Further, circular sanders are slower than linear sanders, although they are faster than orbital sanders.
Orbital sanders are yet another option. Orbital sanders create a seemingly random set of scratches that break up the length of any particular scratch. This greatly reduces the visibility of the scratches after the floors are finished, and leads to the best visual appearance. However, orbital sanders are the slowest to use, leading to an increased cost of use.
Thus, there is a continuing need for improved sanders that have higher productivity, but still produce scratch patterns that are difficult for the human eye to detect after finishing